Combination-lock for electric switches.



c. zoLuNGEm COMBINATION LUCK FOR ELECTBICSWITCHES. APPLICATIN FILED DEC2. |915.

1,252,530, Patented Jan.8,1918.

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20 al'ordin CHRISTIAN ZOLLINGER, F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COMBINATION-LOCK FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

Bpecication of Letters Patent.

,Patented aan. 8,1918.

Application led December 2, 1915. Serial No. 84,685.

v Tdziall whom it may concern @Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN ZOLLINGER,

" affcitizen of the United States of America,

' andresident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinationsLocks for Electric Switches, of

' Vwhich the following is a specification.-

`This inventionl relates to improvements in combination locks for electric switches and is especially intended for controlling electric circuits employed in connection with,A the power apparatus of automobiles, although the invention is applicable to various other The object of the invention' is to provide a lock that may be operated Without the use of a lreygf-whichwill control an electrical switch, the especial feature being a combination lock withbut few parts and a great number of adjustments. The o ject of the invention is accompli'shedby the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section Fig. 2 is a front end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a det-ail view .of the lock-disk; i Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the commutation bars;

`30.4 Fig. 5 is a view showing one end of the barrel containing a portion of the apparatus; and

Fig., 6 is a view showing'the inner end of the switch that is controlled by the locking 85 mechanism, the switch stembeing shown in,

section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same:

1 isa barrelhaving a head (2) at one end thereof, and (3) is a shield secured to the l head of the barrel, the shield having a 'flange (4) that serves as a means for mounting the device. A she11'(5) is secured in the end 445 of the barrelopposite the-headA and has secured through itsouter wall electrical terminal screws (6), suitably insulated there` from and positioned diametrically opposite each o ther.4 A switch-.stem (7) extends through the front of the Vshield (3), the

head of the barrel (2) and the back of .the shell (5) and isadapted to be rotated therein. 4 Upon the front end of the `stem is fixed aknobV ((8) by. means ofv which the -55 same may be turned, andalso upon'the stem,

adjacent theinner side of thehead 'of 'the ini barrel is fixed a lock-disk (9) having in its Eeripher a series of notches (10). The

nob an lock-disk, being fixed on the stern at points thereon at respectively opposite faces of the head of the shield and the head of the' barrel, prevents the stem from having which have electrical contact with and are secured in place by the screws (6) respectively. A coil spring (15) bears against the hub of the switch-'bar (11) at one end, and at its opposite end against a pin (16) that projects from the stem (7), so that the switch-bar tends to bear against-the contact springs (14) when the-stem is so turned as to bring the switch-'barv into connection f therewith. A series of bars (17) extend *throu h lthe head of the'barrel, the same bethrolllh the head of' the vshield andalso ing de lpreferably square in cross-section. The openings (18) in the head (2) are made rectangular so that the bars may be shifted longitudinally therein but are prevented from being turned rotatively. In each of the bars, at points selectively prearranged are made notches (19) suitably proportioned to span the outer edge of the lock-disk when alined therewith, and the notches (10') in the disk (9) are soproportioned and located as to receive the edges of the respective bars. In the outermost edge of each of the bars (17) is made ascriesof V-'shaped notches (20) adapted to beengaged bycorre'sponding pawls (21) thatare pivoted -fbetween projecting cars (22) on'thehead (2)'.of the barrel, there being a'spring (23) in connection with each of the awls bearing against the adjacent `'wall of tlie shield to press the Eawl intojcontact `-with' the corresponding ar. The engaging' end o'f"each pawl is tively with thebars.

have -also marked thereupon a series of graduation marks (25).

In using the invention, electrical conncc# tion is made' between the terminal screws in series with the ignition circuit ofthe power apparatus of an automobile,or other electrical circuit, and the bars arc manipulated by moving them longitudinally so that the notches of each bar register with the lock-disk (9) so as to admit of the turning movement of the latter. The 'switcli-stem (7.) is thenturned by manipulating the knob (8) to a point where the switch-bar (11) connects with the Contact springs (14), thus closing the switch and completing the.

`electrical circuit (no t shown) that leads to the electricaligniting system of the power apparatus. lhile the apparatus is thus jnsted the switch may be manipulated ofi' .or on as desired, and in the event of it being desired to lock the switch in open position7 the switch is then turned olf by turning the knob (8) that the notches register respec- 'Ihe bars are then shifted lengthwise indiscriminately so that their notches are out of alinement with the disk, thus the disk is prevented from being turned one way or the other and ie switchsteIn is therefore held from being turned and the switch-bar is accordingly. held in open position. Before the switch may again be. thrown intoclosed position it is necessary to manipulate the several bars in order to bring them. into positions respectively so that their notches will again register with the disk so that the latter may be rotated as the switchlstem is turned. The graduation marks von the several bars serve as a guide to the operator in adjusting them'to their respective positions so that their notches (19) in each will register with the disk. It is the intention to locate the notches (19")v on the various bars at different points thereon so that. a different adjustment of each bar is required'in order to bring the notch therein in registry with the disk, so

`'that a particular adjustment ofveach b'ar is" required in order to have all ot' the notches alined in the plane ofthe disk.

It is csseijitial'that. the notches in the disk' be so located 4that When they are respectively in alinement with the corresponding bars so that the latter may be shifted, that thc switclrbar will be in open position; Q1', that the stem may only be turned to .bring the switch-bar into closed position when all` the notches of the various bars register with the disk.

l. In a device of the class described, an actuating stem, a -lock-disk fixed upon the stem and having a series of peripheral notches,I a series of slidable bars arranged in parallel relation with the stem and adapted to engage respectively in the correspondsl ing notches and prevent the lock-disk from turning, cach bar having made therein a recess suitably proportioned to admit kof the lock-disk being turned when the bars are so adjusted that their respective recesses all register with the lock-disk, and a series of pawls correspondingly arranged with the re# spective lcclebars and heilig adapted to bear yagainst the same.

2. In a device of the class described, a barrel having a head at one end thereof, a

hollow shield in connection with one end'of the barrel, an operating stem extending l through the shield and head of the barrel ha ing a lockdisk tixed thereon, the latter hainga series of peripheral notches, aseries of slidable bars extending through the shieldpand head in parallel relation with the stem and being adapted to 'engage respetatively in the notches of the lock-disk, each bar having a recess therein adapted'to admit of the rotating movement of the lock-disk when brought into alinement therewith, and a series of springpressed pawls Within the shield adapted to bear respectively against the bars and hold the latter. in thev various positions to which they may be adj usted.

In testimony whereof I a-tlix my signa` Ature in'presenee of two witnesses.l

CHRISTIAN ZOLLINGrElR..-

Witnesses MATHILDA ME'rrLsa, Sori-11A llama. 

